The real threat arising from the Orissa and Karnataka incidents is the likelihood of a communal spirit taking hold of the Hindu majority thanks to the inflaming of passions by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal. If these organizations see a real threat to their religion in the missionary activities of the Christians, the way they have chosen to meet that threat is self defeating, to say the least. They have incited people to kill innocents, burnt their houses and vehicles and exhibited barbaric cruelty in the name of religion. When it becomes a habit with a population to hate, violence and destruction are sure to follow.
What we witness is a resurgence of the same spirit which led to the unfortunate division of the country and formation of Pakistan. It is futile to blame the British for having divided the country, The truth is that such animosity is inherent in the kind of politics that had plagued this nation. Besides, unredeemed human nature lends itself to communal passions that dangerously blind them leading to brother killing brother.
This is the same spirit which felled the Babri Masjid; it is the same spirit which led to the murder of nearly 3000 Sikhs in the wake of the assassination of prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1984; the same spirit led to the genocide of Muslims in Gujarat in 2001, it is the same spirit which poses a threat to the uplift of the downtrodden. So long as this spirit prevails equality, justice and righteousness would be a far cry to the people of this country.
Every citizen should hang his/her head in shame over every innocent life murdered in cold blood in Orissa, Karnataka and elsewhere in the name of religion. What is being murdered is the spirit to think independently, as also the freedom of choice.
To put the facts straight, our standards of righteousness as a nation have sunk very low. Well, most nations are unrighteous in one way or the other. The standards of righteousness of nations differ from one to another and in no place are they synonymous with the righteousness of God. So the conflicts will continue.
Conversion has become dirty word because of the context in which it is used. What does a missionary mean by conversion? A change of heart; not a mere change of religious label. A great missionary, Stanley Jones, used to maintain that two–thirds of those in the church are in need of conversion. .Further, conversion is from sin to salvation, from idols to God, from slavery to freedom, from injustice to justice, from guilt to forgiveness, from lies to truth, from darkness to light, from self to others, from death to life and much more. It is through such conversion of individuals that the community was able to contribute so much to nation building by releasing individual talents and accomplishments for public good.
It is time the majority community and its right thinking leaders woke up to the atrocities of misguided elements in their midst and checked the crime. In a pluralistic society like ours, sowing of hatred and violence will lead to disastrous consequences. A society that is unjust can not be at peace.
Editorial
Conversion through fraud: Is it true?
By: MPK Kutty
Wednesday, 17 September 2008, 21:44 (IST)
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Have your say on this article
Added: Thursday, 1 January 1970, 6:03 (IST)
Mr kutty, this article is a very thoughtful one :) I hope the suffering Christians in India, will be really encouraged and blessed amid the suffering
biju, delhi
Added: Thursday, 1 January 1970, 6:03 (IST)
Are you denying crusades, Goan Inquisitions , genocide in americas by none but the chuch itself. Who are you kidding. Only you are living in darkness by denying these facts. Talk about Dalit christians and their separate churches.
Pranit, India
Added: Thursday, 1 January 1970, 6:03 (IST)
Your article is correct but incomplete. It has taken a prejudice view of Hindu religion in this country. Could you please check with the Christian country's and their track record against other religions before you start harping on the progressive nation. Islam is out of question...Name a country that has a Muslim majority but allows other religion to prosper. Same ..could you allow a temple in Vatican city. Further..why the hell everyones fighting for religion. Do you know whether you were a christian in last birth? or you have been given a visa to be born as Christian in next. If everyone's born with the same religion again and again..if a christian soul will remain Chrisitian forever ...then...conversion would not work because Non-christian will be born Non-chrisitian what ever you do. Souls don't change religions or do they? And if sould change religions...then in next birth these evangelist would be fighting to convert Christians into Islam... Sounds..funny...but religious leader will not initiate this thought process. Bcoz in this era..religion is Multi-billion dollar business. Regards An Indian.
Rahul, India
Added: Thursday, 1 January 1970, 6:03 (IST)
I would like to submit the fact that - the christian religion is one of self aggrandizement and like all bullies cry foul ! when they meet with resistance.Religion is for dogs , it is the lowest step in human evolution- spirituality is what goes on to make a country and a symbol of oppression that becomes the symbol of spirituality and religion (as the cross ) engenders violence in practice. To quote " Everyone born is a Hindu " according to our beliefs.Foisting a religion or dogma is no answer to the problems of the world.
Hari Menon, Kochi,India
Added: Thursday, 1 January 1970, 6:03 (IST)
In response to Rahul's comments............we Christians do belive that there is only one life on earth and that is the one we are living now......there is nothing like past or next life.....but what we certainly do believe is that there is life after death through Jesus Christ.......that life after death is the eternal one......therefore, one who embraces christianity and follows it according to the teachings of Christ would always be a Christian in this life and even in the eternal life after death....the souls, souls chaging religions, past life and all that kind of stuff that you are speaking is not rellevant at all and makes no sense....Please do remeber that the Holy Spirit, which is achieved through Baptism has the power to change things....in other words the Holy Spirit has the power to change the heart/life of the person who lived/practised a hindu/islamic life and then decided to follow the teachings of Christ. The true evagelists, that you are talking about, who are currently carrying out the great commission of Christ would already be in heaven with God after their death where only God, His son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit will be praised and glorified. Then there will, definetly, not be any question of these evagelists following or fighting to convert people to other religions because if they are in heaven its already proven that salvation could only be achieved through Jesus Christ. The proof of all the above-mentioned could be found in one single place.....Ok let me make your life bit easy and, so, let me give you the name of that single place: its the HOLY BIBLE. Now that you know where to look for the answers to your life-saving questions go and read the BIBLE. God bless you and all those people who are in need of God;s love through Jesus. I am Lalith - A Christian from God-created nation India.
Lalith, Birmingham, UK
Added: Thursday, 1 January 1970, 6:03 (IST)
Living in Australia, I get to see Jahovites almost every second month at my door asking me if I would be interested in literature like "Truth ----" etc. We end up having a healthy debate about this. It ususally ends up in an agreement that One only truth is called by many names and it won't make sense to say, "what my religion tells is the only and only truth". I have read bible few times and koran few times to make sense out of them. Having read Bhagavadgita few times, I find these other two very shallow and won't provide any real tool to some one who wants to seek "Truth' ! Again, how many are interested in truly asking questions like, who am "I"? Tragedy in India seems to be: Grand parents or let us say forefathers of Mr Kutty convoverted to Islam or Christianity out of hatred to other communities or under duress or being coerced for a better house or some material uplift in life. And as Vivekananda rightly said, a Hindu converted to becom a Christian or Muslim is not just a loss to the community but an enemy born. Both Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi called coversion as an act conducted by Pervert Mind! They held similar view on untouchability and some of the distasteful practices carried out by (so called)upper caste Hindus to look down persons based on born caste!
Shreepad, Perth Australia
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